Tulane University's new university center embodies the environmental goals not only of its designers, but also of the students, faculty, and administrators at the school. The new center is built on the same site as the old university center, which was stripped to its concrete structure, expanded by 33%, and redesigned with a variety of environmental systems.

The design process for the building began in 1998, when the university received a donation from the Bernick and Lavin family. After a groundbreaking in 2003, construction was stalled by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when the site was covered in two feet of water. Nevertheless, the project was completed in January 2007 at a cost of just $189 per square foot. The new university center serves not only as a hub for the campus community, but also as a model of environmentally friendly design for the city.